Canadian Lawyer

36 J U L Y 2 0 1 6 w w w . C A N A D I A N L a w y e r m a g . c o m legal issue, seek their opinion, or at times request a precedent document." It is also not unusual for lawyers to run into mem- bers of the judiciary in the course of their day. "It's not uncommon to see a judge on the street and call them by their first name," says Mary Lynn Kane, P.E.I. managing partner with Cox & Palmer in Charlotte- town. "It can be a bit awkward," she notes, "but we've known each other forever." The friendly, helpful nature of the legal commu- nity on the island can be traced in part to the size of that community. There are roughly 146,000 people living in P.E.I. and 239 practising lawyers. That means lawyers often see one another and work with one another inside and outside the office and the courtroom. "We have contact not just on files but also on our charitable work and our professional work," says Jennifer MacPherson, a partner with Stewart McKelvey in Charlotte- town. "Reputation with other counsel is so important here. You see them over and over." The bar's small size and co-operative spir- it means most lawyers are involved in some way with the local branch of the Canadian Bar Association and the Bar Society of Prince Edward Island. It is also quite common to see lawyers in various governance or com- mittee roles with post-secondary institutions in the province, hospital boards, non-profit organizations, sporting organizations, com- munity development boards, and charitable organizations, notes MacGregor. "It would be difficult to identify a board or organization in Prince Edward Island of which a lawyer is not a member." Contributing to the community is not just expected, it is welcomed. "We enjoy a very privileged existence. Therefore, it is very important that we give back," says Kane (whose sister is pro golfer Lorie Kane). She points to bar calls as an example of how deep-rooted giving back and supporting each other is. On the island, bar calls are conducted individually. A significant number of lawyers will go to every call. Speakers, such as judges, will address the group, which includes family. "That members of the bar will take the time — one to one- and-a-half hours in the middle of the day — to go to a bar call speaks to our culture," says Kane. "We work hard and we work hard to build our legal community." Giving back is part of the legal culture and work ethic of lawyers in P.E.I. "Dedication to the community is everything. These lawyers are true Islanders," says Gary Scales, regional lead partner for P.E.I. with McInnes Cooper in Charlottetown. The active involvement of lawyers in their profession and their community makes for an engaged and supportive bar, but it also comes with a reality lawyers on the island clearly under- stand. "In a smaller community, there is no such thing as a work/ life divide. It doesn't exist," says Key. "You are practising law in the grocery store. You are practising law in the service station. Effectively, it is kitchen-table law." The nature of legal practice in P.E.I. mirrors that in many small and large communities. Return clients and referrals are an important foundation. "Generally, for Prince Edward Island law- yers, legal business comes from individuals and privately owned businesses within the province, governmental boards and orga- nizations, post-secondary institutions, banks and other financial institutions, small- and medium-sized enterprises, and energy utilities," says MacGregor. For larger firms like Cox & Palmer, having a presence on the Eye on P.E.I. Sources: Law Society of Prince Edward Island, Canadian Real Estate Association Prince Edward Island by the numbers 324 146 72 $165,505 239 20 14 Total membership of the P.E.I. bar Number of lawyers practising in firms in P.E.I. Number of non-practising lawyers Number of law society members in P.E.I. with active practising status Number of lawyers practising out of province Number of retired lawyers Average price of a home in P.E.I. according to statistics from the Canadian Real Estate Association released May 2015

• Cover